Lok Sabha to decide fate of GST Bill tomorrow; financial business to be main agenda of both the Houses

After the eventful first week of the second part of the ongoing Budget session of Parliament, financial business will continue to be the main agenda of both the Houses during the second week beginning tomorrow.

The GST Bill (The Constitution 122nd Amendment Bill,2014) has been listed for further consideration and passing in Lok Sabha on Monday. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely moved this Bill in the House last week explaining its objectives and benefits in the economic integration of the country. The Lower House will conclude the financial business with the passage of Finance Bill during the second week.

Reports of Parliamentary Standing Committees pertaining to grant demands for 2015-16 of the Ministries of Agriculture, Defence, Energy, Environment and Forests & Climate Change, Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Industry, Science and Technology, Water Resources and Urban Development will be submitted in both the Houses of Parliament on Monday.

Rajya Sabha will resume the second week taking forward the discussion on agrarian crisis and suicide by farmers in different parts of the country. During the next week, the Upper House is to discuss the working of Ministries of External Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Law & Justice, Social Justice and Empowerment and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. It will also consider the Railways Appropriation Bill as passed by Lok Sabha during first week of the session.

The Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha has assigned time for discussing three Bills viz., The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013, pending before the Upper House, with official amendments. The other Bills being –The Warehousing Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and The Payment and Settlement Systems(Amendment) Bill, 2014, both as passed by the Lok Sabha.

In the second part of the Budget session which began on April 20, 2015, Lok Sabha has passed the Railways Appropriation Bill, the lone Bill to have been passed by either of the Houses. The Lower House completed discussion on demands for grants of Ministries of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Drinking Water and Sanitation. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a statement on the crisis in Yemen and rescue efforts of the government for evacuation of Indians from that country. The government has moved the GST Bill for consideration and passing during the first week.

Earlier, Rajya Sabha, whose 235th Session began on April 23, 2015 made history by passing the Private Member’s Bill on the rights of transgender persons moved by Tiruchi Shiva of DMK.

“The Prime Minister will observe a fast even while engaged in his official duty and official engagements,” BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narsimha Rao told IANS.

This will be part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s day-long hunger strike that day to protest against the disruption of Parliament by the opposition. BJP President Amit Shah will observe a hunger strike at Hubli in Karnataka while party MPs will fast in their constituencies. IANS